LIVES AT RISK

At every school visited by the Daily Echo over the last few months, we observed parents parking on zig-zags, on single- and double-yellow lines and stopping in the middle of the road to let children out.

Schools have resorted to various measures in an attempt to curb the problem: sending letters home; positioning teachers on the pavement at picking up times; getting pupils to design signs to put up outside the school; and asking the police to make patrols.

These measures appear to have had little effect and rushed parents are prepared to put their and other people's children's lives at risk, and all for the sake of saving a few minutes at the beginning and end of each school day.

Unless something changes, it could be your child's last.

One morning earlier this month, at St Michael's Primary School in Somerville Road, Bournemouth, 14 cars were parked on single yellow lines on both sides of the road while three more cars dropped off children in the middle of the road.

A few minutes later, when there were several legitimate parking spaces just a few yards away, parents continued pulling up and stopping on the yellow line outside the school gates.

Head teacher Bob Kennedy said: "The behaviour of a small number of parents is putting their children and other people's children at risk."

He said that he has made this point in school newsletters and handed out flyers to parents in the street.

He added: "For £14 a year parents can get a permit for the Durley Road car park allowing them to park there for 40 minutes in the morning and afternoon.

"It's about a one-minute walk from there to the school."

Similar scenes were witnessed at picking up time outside Queen's Park Junior School in East Way, Bournemouth.

We recorded seven cars parked on double yellow lines in the turning left lane, eight cars parked in the bus lane as well as cars parked at pedestrian crossings and in front of gates.

There were also parents stopping in the middle of the road while their children got in the car.

One drove off before the child had time to put a seatbelt on.

Head teacher Dominic Sibeth, of Queens Park Junior School, said: "Our number-one priority is the safety of the children. But it's not always appropriate to have difficult conversations with parents at picking up time."

He said that teachers were encouraging children to walk, cycle or scoot to school.

The police received several complaints about the parking problems at Malmesbury Park School in Bournemouth.

Head teacher David Blakeley sent letters to the parents but to no avail so he held a competition in school to design a sign to warn parents of the dangers of careless parking.

Mr Blakeley said: "My biggest fear is that a child will get run over. Parents are increasing the risk by irresponsible parking. It is a form of selfishness and laziness. There are parking spaces no more than five minutes up the road."

PC Craig Bartlett of Winton Police liaises with the school about the parking problems.

He said: "The zig-zags are there for a reason so when children are crossing the road they are not coming out between parked cars.

"To park on the zig-zags is dangerous and it's not a lot to ask parents to drive a few streets away, park and then walk their children in to school.

"This is all about the safety of children."

He said that the police try to educate parents about safer parking but as a last resort would use enforcement.

Mr Blakeley said: "I'd prefer it if they took a harder line. A few tickets would do some of these parents a world of good."

Mother-of-three, Emma Christison, of Charmin-ster Avenue, whose children attend Malmesbury Park School, said: "Lots of the parents are fed up with the parents who are parking on the double yellow lines, the zig-zags and sometimes on the pedestrian crossing. I think these parents should be named and shamed."